Parents Should I continue to push dd to switch gym—-level 9 — incoming high schooler— goal : college team

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Gaby

Proud Parent
My daughter not willing to change her gym. Any suggestions? I talked to my daughter, 13 year old . She is training level 9. However her gym is small , has no pit . Not so many level 10 kids . There are only around 7-8 level 9 and level 10. Last season , the scores of last year are not high , not above 36 . The coach of vault and bar is experienced and he is the head coach. My daughter really love his coaching . He also brings grapes to the girls during training. I am not sure about the coach of floor and beam, from my observation, last competition season, she was not available for a couple of times . I feel she is not so strict , her training is not so efficient, kind of loose . I see some girls just talking here and there . She also teach adult fitness class . But I am told by one of the other parent that she is a dedicated single mom with kind heart . She helped her daughter handle her fear. My daughter’s floor and beam is the worst last season. The coach seems nice to me except that she is not strict that much.
Now my daughter is heading for high school. She wants to get on college team. I don’t think this gym lined up with her goal now .

Right now my daughter enjoy the close knitted environment of small gym. The other gym is big . We did tryout a little while ago . But one of the coaches is too strict , my daughter kind of does like her that much. And there are 14 in that group. My dd thinks too many people, need take longer time to do stuff, but this gym has pit and produce very competitive level 10 gymnasts .


Any experience about pushing dd to switch gym? Should I continue to push her to switch the gym?
 
It sounds like your daughter is at a good gym with coaching methods that work for her! I'd say have another talk with your daughter to reevaluate what her current and future goals are. Is she willing to change gyms for a better chance of getting a college scholarship? Or is she more comfortable being at her current gym? (even if that means having less of a chance at a scholarship)

If she likes the coaching methods and prefers the current gym then I'd say stay. Of course there's always the option of talking with the head coach to work out a plan that is beneficial for your daughter! Hope this helps and best of luck to you guys :)
 
What is her ultimate goal? Is she looking to compete in college? Which colleges? Is she willing to be a walk on and/or go to a college far from her home? Is she ok with looking into D3? These answers (recognizing that she's only 13) will help determine whether a gym switch is needed. Not having a pit is definitely a hindrance but not a show stopper. Gymnasts can still be successful without one. They just train differently.

Bottom line though - If she is happy where she is and is not wanting to switch, I would be hesitant to force/push. So many gymnasts end up quitting after a switch that was initiated by their parents. You end up burning bridges with the old gym as well so they can't go back and even if you can, the dynamic is never the same.
 
I agree with all of the other advice that you have already received. I will just add that she's 13 and training L9 so she has many years left to get to 10 at the current gym. Better her to be happy at the current gym than miserable and quit a different gym. Maybe you could reassess in a year or 2 but she has time.
 
First of all... just had to say that "7 to 8 Level 9/10 girls" is actually may more than the average gym. My gym has two. That being said, this is your daughter's sport...and she seems to be happy where she is. Very possible that forcing her to move gyms could be detrimental to her gymnastics path...and her emotional health.
 
Update: after a couple of observations, we decide either quit the gym or switch the gym. To be honest , high school years are very important . We rather quit the gym and focus on academic, after they will quit the gymnastics at some points of her life , than staying in the small gym without much of hope for college team.
 
Update: after a couple of observations, we decide either quit the gym or switch the gym. To be honest , high school years are very important . We rather quit the gym and focus on academic, after they will quit the gymnastics at some points of her life , than staying in the small gym without much of hope for college team.
You do realize you can go to a great elite gym and still not get a scholarship?
 
You do realize you can go to a great elite gym and still not get a scholarship?
Don’t have to have scholarships, at least get on the college team! In this gym , her beam / floor coach is not so committed that much , sometimes not available, even before competition. Most of beam time , girls are chatting, not doing anything. Plus this year they add the other lower level kids to the group because they are old enough . One kid still working on level 3 skills . They have 8 girls in the group. They don’t have enough coach.
 
My daughter does not want change because she hate changing. However changing is a part of life.
 
You do realize you can go to a great elite gym and still not get a scholarship?
No , I feel at peace if she join the other sports from school . She does not have to do gymnastics. To be honest, what is the meaning if you can’t go anywhere staying at the gym.
 
Not that my comment matter cause you obviously have made your decision. My daughter is a level 10 senior who is NOT doing college gym By choice. How sad it is that youth sports are so focused on if you don’t do college there is no point. there are so many positive points, even from a parent like me who sometimes is at war with this sport. The end game does not always have to be college
 
Feeling is fickle. It based on altitude and mindset. Besides teenagers’ feeling is not always right . We can not make decisions only Based on a teenager’s feelings. Of course we also need consider children’s feelings . But can not let it lead our direction .
Ok. You know everything. I hope your daughter doesn’t have serious lifelong negative feeling towards you for deciding that she’s a failure at gymnastics.

So many weird parents in this sport…
 

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